TRIBUTE

Shri. Kalathil Velayudhan Nair

He is one of the founder members of the Kerala Law Academy and
he was instrumental in establishing the Academy. He was the backbone
and a tower of strength for the Academy. He was member of the executive
committee and Governing Council of the Academy from the date of its
establishment till the date of his death. He was also elected as the
President of the Academy. It was his far-sightedness and the
inspiration that led to the establishment of the Academy’s Research
Center.

He was a leading Senior Lawyer at the High Court of Kerala and
most of his juniors became reputed lawyers. He was most respected at
the Bar and he earned a reputation and acclaim as one of the greatest
lawyers of his time and his office had the highest number of briefs
during his time.

He was a leader of the national movement and has served as an
administrator of the Travancore- Cochin Ministry. He was a farsighted
statesman. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Travancore
Cochin in 1952 and became the Minister for Electricity, PWD and
Transport in A.J. John’s Ministry of Travancore-Cochin State from March
1952 to September 1953. He was elected as the President of the Nair
Service Society (NSS) and later became the first President of National
Democratic Party (NDP). He was also the member of Senate and Syndicate
of the University of Kerala. He made his firm imprints in whatever
field he ventured. A road in the Ernakulam City is named after him.
Born in January 9, 1912 to Krishna Pillai. R and Leshmy Amma, he died
on September 1, 1976. His death was a big loss to the Academy. The
library building of the Academy’s Research Center at Punnen Road is
named after him and a Professor’s Chair has been established in his
name at the Academy as “Kalathil Velayudhan Nair Professor of Law”,
which is being presently held by Professor, Dr. Ravikumar.

Shri. K. Chandrasekharan

He is one of the founder members of the Academy and has been
the member of Governing Council and Executive Committee of the Academy
from its inception till his death. He was selected as the President of
the Academy for a long period and was actively involved in the affairs
of the Academy till his death.

He was elected to the Kerala legislative Assembly in 1960 and
became Cabinet Minister for Law and Revenue in the second Kerala
Government (2nd Legislative Assembly) Ministry of Shri. Pattom. A Thanu
Pillai from 22.02.1960 to 26.09.1962 and in the Ministry of Shri, R.
Sankar from 26.09.1962 to 08.10.1962 and as Minister for education from
26.03.1987 to 1991 in the Ministry of E.K. Nayanar.

He was part of India’s freedom struggle and a leader of the
socialist movement in Kerala. He was leader of the Janata Party and was
member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly for a long period
continuously. He was also Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). He was a
successful and highly respected senior lawyer of the High Court of
Kerala and along with Shri. Chandrasekhara Menon, (who later became
Judge of the High Court of Kerala),he started the law firm “M/s
Chandrasekharan and Chandrasekharan”, which is one of the leading law
firms in the Kerala High Court today. He was designated a Senior
Advocate in 1994 by the full Court of the Kerala High Court. He passed
away on 15.08.2006 and the Academy lost one of its leaders.

Shri. S. Easwara Iyer

He was one of the founder members of the Kerala Law Academy
and was member of the Governing Council and Executive Council of the
Academy. He was one of stalwarts and a most famous name in legal
profession and was a successful and reputed lawyer of the High Court of
Kerala and had appeared in several high profile and sensational cases.
He had several juniors who later became reputed in the Bar. He was also
a political activist and he was elected as Member of Parliament (Lok
Sabha) in 1957 defeating his close rival, Shri. Pattom Thanu Pillai,
former Chief Minister of Travancore State. Thus he became the first
Member of Parliament from Thiruvananthapuram, the Capital City of
Kerala since the formation of Kerala and served as M.P. from 1937 to
1962. He died in 1998. He was a member of the Executive Council of the
Academy and was actively associated with the Academy till his death.

Justice S. Subramanian Potti

He was one of the founder members of the Academy and continued
as member of Executive Committee and Governing Council from its
inception for a period of 10 years, after which his pre-occupations did
not allow him to be a member of Governing and Executive Council of
Academy. However he continued to be actively associated with the
Academy till his death.

He is the former Chief Justice of the Kerala High Court, who
delivered, the most sensational judgment in Rajan case, which led to
the resignation of the then Home Minister of Kerala, Shri. K.
Karunakaran. He also served as Chief Justice of Gujarat High Court. He
died in the year 1997. His contributions to the development of law and
law reform as a judge, were substantial. Before being elevated as judge
of the Kerala High Court, he held the post of the Advocate General of
Kerala. His contributions to the development of the Academy were
immense and his death was a real loss to the Academy.

Shri. M Ramakrishna Menon

He was the Chief Administrator and Administrative Officer of
the Academy since its formation and worked as such till 1988. He was
pivotal in guiding the functions of the Academy in the right direction
during its formative days. The Academy was able to undertake programmes
in the right earnest due to his earnest efforts. He was a strength for
the activities of the Academy. He died in 2002. But for him, the
activities of the Academy would not have been in the right track. The
management of the affairs of the Academy was at ease with him in the
helm of affairs and smooth functiong of the Academy during the initial
years was ensured. An endowment has been instituted in the name of Late
M. Ramakrishna Menon, as“M.Ramakrishna Menon Memorial Endowment”
awarding scholarship to one first year LL.B (5 year) student who scores
highest marks in the first semester of the 5 year LL.B. Course and
providing ascheme for providing scholarship /freeship to eligible
students.

Justice P. Govinda Menon

He was the first Principal and director of the Academy. His
contributions to the development of the Academy in its initial stages
have been immense. He was judge of the Kerala High Court from
15.12.1959 to 27.10.1966 and after his retirement he assumed charge as
Principal of the Academy in 1967 and in 1969 he assumed charge as
Director of Legal Studies of the Academy. As judge of the High Court he
made valuable contributions to the development of Criminal Law
jurisprudence and principles. He was born in Calicut and was actively
involved in the political life of Calicut. He was Mayor of Calicut City
(Kozhikode) and was the founder of Calicut City football tournament. He
died in 1998. To commemorate his memory, the annual National Client
Interviewing and Counseling competition is conducted by the Academy
which is being continuously held every year without break since 2001.

Shri. B. Dharmarajan

B. Dharmarajan, was the Principal of the Academy, and was
associated with the Academy from its inception as a member of the
teaching faculty. He had extraordinary and unique capability and
talents in the lecture method of teaching and earned the reputation as
the best teacher in the lecture method. He gave a name and fame to the
Academy by his extraordinary ability of delivering mesmerizing lectures
and was instrumental in the growth of the Academy during its formative
years. His lectures were unique and a master piece and had
illustrations, explanations and narrations which were mind captivating
and fascinating. His untimely death in 1998 was an irreplaceable loss
to the Academy and the legal faternity as a whole. To commemorate his
memory a lecture series is organized by the Academy. Read more >>

Shri. C. Kuttikrishnan

Shri. C. Kuttikrishnan, who was Senior Researcher at the
Research Center of the Academy and Senior Lecturer at the Academy, was
the backbone of Academy in its major activities. He joined the Academy
after voluntarily resigning from his post of Joint Secretary in the
Government Secretariat and sacrificing his bright future career and
promotion prospects at the Government Secretariat. He was a legal
writer par excellence and was the architect of the Academy Law Review
and other publications of the Academy. His untimely demise in 1989 was
the biggest loss suffered by the Academy. To commemorate his memory, a
Lecture series is organized by the Academy. Read more >>